Greyscale
by Jatoshi
Summary: Matthew Williams awakes in a strange, monochrome world with a mission. With the help of a fiery tempered boy and crimson eyed man, he must find three objects or die. The three will soon find just how much they contrast against this white and black world.
1. Chapter 1

Matthew Williams wasn't particularly religious. He wouldn't have been surprised finding himself in the fiery depths of hell or reborn into his new life as a fly. Or if he simply were to cease to exist, in a void of nothingness. It wasn't as if life had had much to offer the boy anyway. Throughout his short sixteen years, he had been faced with nothing but loneliness and defeat. He knew his life had been better than a large portion of the world, and that many would categorize his complaints as first world problems. But had they ever been truly forgotten by their own parents? Outdone by their brother from the exact moment of birth? Ignored by those who were forced to recognize their existence for the sake of them seeming sane? He doubted many had ever fallen into his shoes.

But no matter where his life had stood, he was here now. In a place he hadn't expected, for he didn't even have the knowledge of its existence. The world around him, seeming much like the bedroom he had left behind, was only colored in pure black and white. His large red sweater contrasted greatly against everything around him, making him feel slightly uncomfortable. And though the room shared large similarities, he noted it's many minor differences, ranging from a stack of books pushed an inch over, to a chair sitting beside the desk instead of by the window where he had left it.

Then the silence. It fell over him as a downpour, leaving the boy to wonder if he had actually gone deaf. He walked towards the window, allowing all of his weight to fall to his feet with each step. The creaking floor boards were sweet music to his ears. He drew back the curtains, allowing natural light to flutter into his room. Where it came from, he had no idea, for the only sight from his window was pure black. A chill ran through his spine, and he quickly turned away, allowing the curtains to fall back into place.

"Is this really-?" Matthew allowed his thoughts to cross his lips and into the room. They echoed slightly, before dissipating and leaving him in the silence once more. The afterlife? Perhaps purgatory? Pulling his sweater closer to his thin frame, he sat on his bed. Would his door be the same? He glanced to the wooden board, not at all excited to see. Then he noticed the slip on paper, sitting right at the foot of the door. An envelope, which during his previous inspection of the room, was no where to be seen. Albeit sudden, was a welcome sight to see, being a pale violet against the dull world around it. Matthew stood and grabbed it, slightly shocked by the sudden cold shock. He gently opened it.

_You are not dead. _

For the first time since he decided on his actions, a wave of gilt rushed over Matthew. How long had it been? Did they know already? Had they taken him to the hospital? Were they huddled in the waiting room, anxiously awaiting him to return to consciousness? Or... Or did they assume he was taking a nap? Had they even realized he was home? Alfred had a game tonight. They were probably celebrating his would be or already was victory. The bastards... He shook his heads, shoving his thoughts to the back of his mind as he continued the note.

_Not yet. There are three objects in this world. When brought together, they will take you home. But if you run out of time, you will die. It's very simply, yes? However, you cannot find these objects on your own. Two others must help you as you must help them. Find them, find the three objects and live._

It ended with a smudge and no signature. Matthew read it over once more before taking in a deep breath. Home... He came here leaving it, didn't he? So what point did he have in searching for these objects and going back? How did he even know this was real and not some strange dream? Why couldn't the note explain any more? He found himself shoving the letter in his pocket out of frustration. He hated questioning everything like this. He was a person who simply wanted answers.

Matthew looked back to the door in front of him. He would go along with this, if for no other reason, then to get answers. Perhaps the other two mentioned in the note would know something. If this wasn't all a dream and he woke up before meeting them, of course. He slowly pushed the solid door open, without looking back.

* * *

><p>AN: Planning on this being the shortest chapter. Just had to get that beginning out of the way. And check my profile for the statuses of my stories, if you are interested.

Only time I'm putting this in here. I don't own Hetalia.


	2. Chapter 2

The crimson eyed man sat on the roof of his usual building, once again taking in the scenery of the dull world as he had many times before. This place seemed to move in slow motion at times, without rhyme or reason, constantly reminding him of his home but not at the same time. Though he sat in the midst of a bustling city, silence surrounded him. And though he sat in silence, he felt as if he needed to escape from the noise. The constant chatter that was his thoughts. How he hated being alone.

The building that he had formed to become his own had never been so before. In fact, he was quite a ways off form his former residency, with no want to return. He was quiet content on this roof, which allowed him the view of the piecing white sky in the day, black at night, the sparkling grey ocean in the distance, and the average man walking through his day exactly as he had before. Really, they had it down to the second it seemed. And though the building was occupied, no one spared him a look. It was something he had noticed quite quickly in his time in this world. Very few of its residence acknowledged his existence. He would go as far as to say no one did, except for one.

As if on cue with his thoughts, a chill ran through his spine. He quickly turned, hurting his neck in the process, but still failed to catch a glimpse of who he referred to as the 'mail man'. Coming with his signature cold air and speed, he, she or it was the only thing that seemed to care that Gilbert Beilschmidt had entered this world almost a month ago. And as always, he left a lovely, straight to the point note in his wake. Gilbert found it right at his side. The familiar pale violet envelope was cool to the touch.

_He is here._

Gilbert found a small, genuine smile rise to his face. One of the few he had felt in quite some time. This would be the last time he was alone. He stood from his spot, holding tightly to the happiness in the form of paper. It was a mixed sort of feelings. After a month of nothing but notes from the mail man, Gilbert doubted social interaction would be something he was keen on. But if they were in the shock he was in when he arrived, he was sure he's skills would be the least of their worries.

He made his way down from the roof, waving to those who worked in the offices as he did. No one waved back. Normally, he would have taken his time, checking each workspace for any sign of life. Each employee worked straight through the day, he noted, never taking their eyes off their screen or papers. And their offices sat completely blank aside from what was absolutely necessary, no pictures or even an extra pen. This usually bothered Gilbert, causing him to wonder what exactly these human-like creatures were, but today he ignored those facts, even adding a skip to his step as he went past them.

Knowing he had left before the evening rush home, he wasn't surprised to find the town streets completely deserted. It was in these few times the pure silence made sense, allowing him to grow accustom to it and gently slip into his thoughts as he walked. No amount of time here would allow him to grow completely used to it, he knew. But that made his joy for the new arrival grow even more.

His thoughts wondered to when he had arrived, out on the highway with jumbled thoughts and a body that should have been in much more pain than it was. The car was gone. His brother, father, no where to be seen. Just a young adult, alone in a striking amount of blood that's crimson color contrasted against every single detail in this world. The picture haunted him. So he pushed it out of his mind, and moved to this first note the mail man had given him. A note that simply told him to return home and to be sure he arrived before nightfall. Though it lacked many details of his situation, he followed through with its request, unsure of what to do otherwise.

Gilbert came to an intersection, drawing himself from his mind. He would have time to ponder on his memories later, he was sure. This new boy would surely ask questions, and he had no reason to keep answers from him. That is, when he found the boy. He looked down the three paths he could choose from and back to the one he had come on. How was he supposed to find this man anyway? Would he just keep walking and eventually run into him? He opened the letter once more, reading the sentence over and over again. He was here in this world, but where was he exactly?

The soft voice of a small bird ripped the man from his thoughts once more, nearly causing him to scream. He quickly looked up from the letter, finding the source to be a bright yellow chick staring at him from across the pavement. In all his time in this world, not once had he seen any animals, yet alone one so vibrantly colored. It had to be a sign! Perhaps from the mail man or some other being working in this world. It chirped once more, breaking the silence with a pleasant but startling noise. It turned away from him, taking off into the distance. Gilbert followed, having to sprint at full speed to keep up with the small creature. He was nearly certain his heartbeat was echoing throughout the entire city.

Outside of his room was not the hallway Matthew had known his whole life. He could not see his parent's room or the staircase leading downstairs just off to the left of him. He could not see his brother's room or the bathroom just off to the right. But, much to his relief, he did not see the pure black that had been outside of his window either. Instead, he found himself in a garden. It was well taken care of, with shrubs and trees all trimmed to perfect symmetrical shapes. He glanced around, expecting to find a gardener working on it as he stood there. But it was barren.

Matthew wondered, unsure of where else he should go. It wasn't as if he had been given many clues. Perhaps his companions were destined to come to him. He glanced back to where his door had been, not all that surprised by its disappearance. He could already feel that stranger things happened normally in this world. It wasn't as if there was anything left for him in there anyhow.

What stood in the door's place was a large iron gate, the entrance and exit to the garden. Just beyond it, Matthew could see a sidewalk and a street lined with unmarked shops. How anyone knew what each individual building sold was a complete mystery to him. He stood in the gateway, turning his head up and down the street, finding no soul aside from his own. It was so odd, finding the world completely desolate. Though it explained the silence, which was just as strong here as in his room, it was too strange. How could the garden be so well kept with no one around to keep it so? What about the shop's business? They didn't look abandoned, aside from the sheer lack of people.

He walked farther onto the street, glancing behind him to see if anything mysteriously changed. The garden remained just as it had when he entered it. Feeling a bit of security with some things remaining as he moved, he decided on a store to enter. Maybe a worker would have some answers for him?

He peeked in the darkened glass windows of the nearest one, which seemed to be a small corner cafe. The tables that filled the shop were empty, though he doubted he would find any customers to begin with. His heart skipped a beat as he noticed a woman standing at the counter, counting some money. He laughed quietly, amused with his thumping heart. He was looking for people, wasn't he? Why was he so shocked when he found someone?

He quickly entered the shop, smiling politely at the cashier as he did. Like the rest of the world, she lacked color, blending in with her black, white and grey complexion. She stayed focused on her task. Matthew arrived at the counter and cleared his throat, once more attempting to catch the attention of the woman. She diligently worked the money in her hand, counting it once, twice, three times over. He wasn't that easy to ignore, was he?

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Though he was growing rather impatient, Matthew kept his tone polite as he always did. The cashier placed the money in the register before looking up. Matthew waited a moment for a response, but noticed the woman was staring not at him but past him. Once again, ignoring him. But why would someone of her job go out of her way to ignore a complete stranger? Could she actually not see him? Realizing he would never get anywhere with this, Matthew turned to leave the shop. His eyes immediately met with a pair of crimson ones.

"Birdie!"


	3. Chapter 3

When he had first decided to leave school, it was nerve wracking. Never had he heard of someone missing a day of school. They would notice immediately that he was gone. He was sure of it. And yet, he had taken the risk. That morning he had done everything as he normally would have. He woke at exactly 7:02, finished getting ready by 7:17, sat down and ate until 7:26 and left exactly three steps behind his brother to the bus stop which would come at exactly 7:33 at the corner of Lewis and Martin. Except he didn't get to the corner of Lewis and Martin. As soon as he was out of his mother's sight, he stopped and let his brother walk on. He hid behind the house just before the corner, peeking ever so carefully and watching as the bus left without him. His brother hadn't noticed his absence, nor had the bus driver. He wasn't going to school today. For the first time in the six year-old's life, Lovino Vargas was free.

XxX

"Birdie!" Gilbert was overjoyed as he entered the small cafe, coming face to face with the personified form of the bird he had followed. He was a sight to behold, with his vibrant red sweater, pale but not white skin, sweet violet eyes and most breathtaking blond hair. It was the hair that reminded him of the small creature which had disappeared the moment the store door had opened. Gilbert didn't have the time to be sad by its departure, for its reason was finally before him. A total of fifteen blocks away, if he had counted correctly. Though it was easy to become confused in this world...

"Birdie?" His voice was quiet, to the point where Gilbert was unsure if the question was directed at him or just a voiced thought. But he would answer anyway, simply for the sake of having a conversation filling the silence around him.

"Birdie." He began with a triumphant nod. "Because your hair is like the bird that lead me here. Pretty awesome, but not as awesome as me." He watched the boy's expression change from one of disbelief to slight disgust as if he were questioning his sanity. Gilbert maintained a smile and began working past the strange first impression. "Gilbert Beilshmidt." He paused. "From your world." He added, to clear any confusion the boy might have. After all, his time here handy done much for his color. He placed a hand in front of him, almost regretting it instantly. How long had it been at home? Was handshaking still acceptable? Wait, he was still alive so it wasn't like it was years, right? Why the hell did he care so much anyway? Was it the hair? He couldn't get over that hair...

"Matthew Williams." Matthew took his hand firmly, giving a quick up and down motion before releasing. Gilbert suppressed a sigh of relief. He could sort out why he was so concerned later. Now he would focus on doing what his gut told him and looking good in front of this guy. He moved to the nearest table, sitting and propping his feet up before motioning for his new companion to sit. Matthew hesitated.

"If you're waiting for your latte..."

"No." Matthew shook his head, taking his place next to Gilbert before intertwining his hands and twiddling his thumbs. Was this Gilbert one of the people mentioned in the note? How much did he know about all of this? This world, the objects, returning home? ...Had he come here the same way he had? Matthew found his last question too personal. If he were to ask anything, he would simply stay with basics.

"I take it you haven't been here very long." Gilbert still held up his smile, doing all he could to ease the nervousness of them both. They would be around each other for quite some time, it seemed. Matthew nodded, letting out a quite sigh. "Well, welcome, I guess. Sorry I couldn't set up the whole party. Kinda short notice."

"It's alright." Matthew offered a small smile. Gilbert seemed to be a strange man, with a very blunt personality. Somewhat like his brother, Alfred. But he had already gone out of his way to ease Matthew's nerves, so how bad could he truly be? Matthew could hope he wasn't much of a nuisance anyway.

"I'm no expert on anything here." Gilbert began, his eyes taking off into the rest of the room. They rested on the windows at the front of the shop. "But I might have a few answers, if you're looking for 'em." Matthew nodded, thinking once again on what he should ask the man. There was so much he could ask, but he didn't want to bombard him. So he began with one he was sure anyone in their situation could have seen coming.

"Where are we?" Gilbert lightly chuckled, placing his hands behind his head and closing his eyes. He reminded silent for a moment, before returning his gaze to Matthew and shrugging.

"Beats me."

"You don't know?"

"I said I wasn't an expert, Birdie." Matthew frowned at both the answer and the nickname. "All I know is-" The man went silent once more, his eyes again focused on the window. Matthew raised an eyebrow, confused by his sudden stop.

"You know what?"

"We need to go." Gilbert quickly stood from his position, his once carefree attitude replaced by an expressionless complexion. "Come on." He quickly walked towards the door, opening it and allowing a blast of chilling air go blow inside. Even with Matthew's thick sweater, he began to shiver.

"What's going on, Gilbert?" Matthew asked, following the man as they began their way into the street. It was drastically different than what Matthew had seen before. Aside from the sudden drop in temperature, the once abandoned street now was filled with civilians marching in straight lines. All looked straight ahead, keeping to themselves with exact destinations in mind. And in spite of so many walking on their way, the silence seemed more prominent than ever before. Matthew had to work to keep up with Gilbert's quick pace, dodging in and out of the many passerby. None seemed to pay him any heed, just as the woman in the cafe.

"It's evening." Gilbert spoke sternly, reaching an arm back to grab onto Matthew's. With the assurance of Gilbert's grip, Matthew allowed his eyes to wonder off of him and too the sky. He assumed what Gilbert had said was true, as what was once a pure white sky had now dimmed to a darkening grey. Anxiety grew in his chest the longer he stared upward. There seemed to be no sun or stars. Not even a cloud in view. It was simply a plain, vast color, only disturbed by the buildings around them.

"So why do we have to hurry?" Matthew questioned, continuing to keep up with his new companion. Gilbert sighed, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Do you think we will be able to see a think under a black sky?"

"There aren't any lights?"

"Would I be running through a crowd like this if there were?" Matthew glanced around him at the shops once more. The world seemed so modern, just like his own. The thought of electricity not being invented had never occurred to him.

"Where are we going then?"

"You ask so many questions."

"You said you would have answers." Had Gilbert not been rushing to see them out harm's way, he would have smiled at the remark.

"My place."

And that was how they had arrived at the small top room of the office building Gilbert had claimed as his own. It was supposed to be used as extra storage, Matthew guessed, as it lied between the stairs leading upward and the roof they lead to. Gilbert had moved boxes to the corner, making space for two makeshift beds and a table. Through the small window on the door that opened to the roof, the sky showed the two men that they had just made it before darkness decent upon the world. Matthew squinted as he watched Gilbert move to one of the boxes, removing a candle and match. He quickly lit it, setting it on the table and illuminating a small area for them to sit in.

"Why not a regular home?" Matthew asked, following Gilbert's example of taking the pillow from one of the bed's and using it as a chair. Gilbert raised an eyebrow and chuckled. Matthew felt at ease seeing his companion relax.

"Would you prefer rooming with some of this world's weirdoes?" Matthew joined in with a small laugh of his own. "Now back to what I was saying before." Gilbert stretched out his arms and placed them behind his head, leaning against the stack of boxes behind him. "You could go ahead and consider these rules. You won't see me breaking them anytime soon. First, as you can see, it's impossible to see at night. So no use going out in it. Second, the people here are about as useful as a sack of potatoes. Scratch that, you could get was more use out of potatoes. Don't bother with 'em. Thirdly," He leaned forward. "Always listen to the mail man's letters. He knows more about his place that either of us could ever hope to."

"The mail man?" Did he not just say to not bother with the people in this world?

"Have you gotten a letter yet?" Matthew thought for a moment, then remembered the envelope he had found in his room. He pulled it from his pocket and set it on the table. Gilbert smiled and nodded. "That's one of his."

"Alright then." Matthew returned the envelope to his pocket. He would question Gilbert on it's message tomorrow. He was tired now. Gilbert watched him and smiled, noticing as his eyes grew heavier with every brink.

"Get some sleep, Birdie." Matthew nodded, going to the bed Gilbert had given him. It was rather comfy for being an air mattress on the floor with a single pillow and blanket. He lightly smiled as a new thought crossed his mind. This was how some dreams worked, wasn't it? You go to sleep in them and wake up into reality. Matthew closed his eyes, holding onto his last hopes that this still was in fact a dream.

Gilbert remained at the table, watching the flickering of the candle before him. He always enjoyed the candles from this world. Though their soft glow was only a dim white, it left off a warmth that shattered the chill of the night. For such a small flame to. It made him wonder what a larger flame could accomplish... Despite the candle's close proximity to him, he felt a familiar chill run down his spine. He glanced around him, first inspecting the closed doors, then the sleeping Matthew. With nothing our of the ordinary, he returned to the candle. A pale violet envelope sat in front of him. Gilbert took the cool object in his hands, slightly shocked. The mail man never visited at night...

Not wanting to disturb Matthew, Gilbert took the candle and letter out to the roof. The chilled air and the candle's warmth began their war as he sat and opened it. Soon enough, the outside air won and Gilbert became uncomfortable. But he letter was open, so he began to read.

_You lied to him._

Gilbert lightly laughed at the note. The mail man could be so strange, telling him things he already knew. He placed the note back in its envelope and stopped. He took a breath and listened to the night. He remembered the days he found himself sitting and listening to the night for hours on end. Just to forget the silence of the day, just to escape from his thoughts. The screams, the moans, the cries. Would this be the last time he sat out and listened to it all? Anxiety crept into his chest, telling him no. It was getting louder.


	4. Chapter 4

Lovino couldn't remember the last time he attended school. He would do the same every morning, easily tricking his mother and brother into their routines. Then he would go about his day until he knew the school bus would return. He would wait, allow his brother to step off and begin he walk home and then Lovino would jump behind, following his normal three steps back. His mother would be waiting at the door for them, as she did every day. No one noticed for years. Until that day when he was fifteen. That day when he showed up.

XxX

When Matthew awoke, he didn't move. He kept his eyes closed, taking a long moment to calm himself. He would have a bright attitude this morning. It wouldn't be fair to the few people that would acknowledge him if he was in a foul mood. A foul mood caused by a damned device that sat right at his bedside and a brother that was in the long list of people who had a master degree in forgetting him. His alarm was prone to not going off. When this issue occurred, it was Alfred's job to wake him up. But here he was, undisturbed in bed and no doubt late for school. Again. One day he would break that clock. Maybe his brother too. He reached for his glasses, not finding them in the exact spot he always left them. Another thing to add on to his list of things that were going wrong this morning. He opened his eyes, glanced towards where it should have been sitting.

"Mornin' Birdie!" And it all came back to him. Matthew sat up, his emotions altering from annoyance to something he wasn't sure had a proper name. He was here in this greyscale world, with a crimson eyed man named Gilbert. He wasn't happy about this, but he couldn't say he was sad or angry either. He didn't miss his home, not after his immediate thoughts from awaking. His glasses sat on the table, out of arm's reach, for he had refused to leave them on the ground. He almost found the situation funny. Last night he had been so sure that he would find himself once again in his home. But this was real. He was sure of it now. The thought only added to his mixed emotions. He looked to his companion, who was standing in the doorway leading to the roof. He looked tired, but smiled nonetheless.

"Good morning." Matthew responded with a smile of his own, happy to find that Gilbert was at least somewhat of a morning person. Mornings were always dreadful in his house. He stood from his makeshift bed, surprised by the lack of stiffness in his muscles. His sleep hadn't been the most refreshing, but he had been through worse nights.

"Come get some fresh air." Gilbert stated, turning and walking out onto the roof. Matthew was eager to follow, having not seen the view yet. It was too dark to make out much when they had arrived the night before. The building was no skyscraper, but neither were the building surrounding them. He was sure the view would show a good amount of the town.

And it did. Brilliantly, he might add. He thought of the scene as an old photograph. His father, being an avid collector of anything aged, had a motto about them. 'Managing to capture beauty in the absence of color', he would say. Matthew walked to the edge, his mouth open in awe as he stared at the glistening ocean waves crashing against the shore to the way the morning light reflected off the surrounding buildings, even with no visible sun.

"This world is weird." Gilbert placed his hands in his pockets, a slim smile covering his face. "Makes you forget to look at how pretty it is too."

"Oui." Matthew nodded in agreement, looking back to his companion with a smile from ear to ear. Gilbert lightly laughed as he compared his expression to a young boy who had just leaned Christmas was coming early. "No wonder you chose this spot."

"You can continue to praise the awesome me!" Gilbert laughed loudly before turning and stepping into the doorway once more. "I'll go grab breakfast. Want to come with or are you still gawking?"

"No, I'll come." Matthew took a final glance, then followed him through the room. As they descended down the stair, he spoke again. "Where do you get breakfast from exactly?"

"The only sign of life I've ever seen in this office is their morning donuts." Gilbert responded, sounding as if he were stating research instead of answering Matthew's question. "They don't eat 'em, and I've never seen who brings them in, but they still sit there everyday, just waiting for someone to take them. So I do." As he said this, they arrived at the elevator, taking it with a thin framed man in a suit. He spared neither of them a glance, but seemed slightly on edge.

"You just have donuts everyday? No variety?"

"I don't eat them everyday, Birdie. Some days I just stare at the ocean and wonder what their feeding me in the hospital." Despite the strange saying, Gilbert kept up the joyful air around him. Matthew raised an eyebrow, not fully understanding what he had meant. Gilbert lightly sighed. "We don't have to eat, Biride. I don't know your story, but I can assume it's like mine. Since they're feeding what exists if you back in our world, then we don't have to eat here. I do because I want to. Reminds me of home. Get it?"

"Oh..." Matthew nodded, feeling quite stupid that he had to explain further. They arrived at the bottom floor, the thin man leaving first with the two friends behind. Gilbert lead Matthew to the front desk, straight to the box containing the sugary breakfast.

"Don't take the third from the left." He instructed, taking two and going towards the counter where the thin man spoke to the secretary. Matthew looked at the donuts, trying to judge the flavors based on hue and texture. He said not the third from the... right?

Gilbert stopped just in earshot of the quieted conversation between the two strangers. The secretary, an older woman who, in his opinion, had not just too many years, but too many donuts as well, shook her head violently. She was having none of what this thin man was saying.

"It is true." Normally he would have been intimidated by this woman, but the thin man whispered urgently. "The elevator took me to the top floor instead of straight to the bottom. This isn't the cycle." Gilbert felt his stomach drop. Normally he was in tune with the office. Never once had he thrown one off of their routine. This man...

"Gilbert!" Though he wished to hear the rest of the conversation, Gilbert turned back to his friend. Matthew quickly ran to his side, allowing him to see the beast he had dropped. The third donut from the left, once seemingly a chocolatey sugary treat, now watched them from unseen eyes. Its wings resembled that of a bat, though they still oozed from having just burst forth from their host. Its legs still grew, baring claws that could easily tear through either men's skin. Gilbert remember his first time with the beast. His shoulder throbbed with the memory. "What is that thing?!" Matthew shrieked, grabbing onto Gilbert's arm, allowing him to feel how violently the boy shook.

"I told you not to get that one!" Gilbert sent him a glare, before pulling out the box of matches he had left in his pocket for such an event. He lit one, quickly jogging past the morphing beast and dropping it on it. It let out a startling howl as its right wing lit. Matthew watched, for the second time that morning, in awe. Gilbert found himself smirking, as if killing a beast in metamorphosis took much effort.

The donut beast, now fully emerged from its surgery casing, attempted desperately to fly with its burning wing. It spun in a pathetic circle, leaving the two men laughing as they watched. Gilbert stepped close to it once more, stomping down on the treat turned beastly and watching as the creature exploded into a red much under his foot. The smell of rotting flesh filled the air around them, changing the two's laugher to gags.

"Still want it?" Gilbert asked, working to rub off the gunk that had stuck to his shoe. Matthew shook his head and began walking back to the elevator. Gilbert lightly laughed and followed, pressing the button and forgetting all about the exchange between the secretary and thin man.

"I wanted to talk about this today." Matthew took the envelope from his pocket as the two sat on the roof. Gilbert was laid back, his head resting on his hands. Matthew wasn't sure he wouldn't dose off as he talking, but he had to before he forgot. Gilbert nodded for him to continue. Matthew opening it once more, rubbing his hand over the cool paper. Not once had it warmed up since he obtained it. He handed it to his companion, forcing from his relaxed position. "Is it talking about you?" Gilbert looked over the paper, making an auditory 'hmm' and 'oh' as he did.

"Complete gibberish." He responded, handing it back to its owner. "Some weird language or some shit? Looks impressive, if you've learned it."

"It's English..." Matthew sighed, looking down at the letter and rereading it to himself. Yes, it was still the exact same as it had been the day he came. "Let me see one of your letters. Maybe their meant for our eyes only." Gilbert nodded and grabbed one of his, quickly opening it and flashing its contents to Matthew.

"Gibberish." Matthew lightly smiled, glad his idea was true. "I'll just read it to you then." He cleared his throat and began, not leaving out a single word to his friend. Gilbert listening closely, careful to catch every word.

"Three people, three objects..." He repeated the gist of the letter, allowing it to sink in. This was the first he had ever heard of the concept. "All I was told was that another man, the first I saw from my world, would show me the way home." He could quote the letter to Matthew, but felt as if that was all the information he needed.

"Well this is the way, so I guess it's true." Matthew looked out to the ocean, a frown tugging at his lips. "Do you think we need the third man?"

"Of course. Mail man said so, didn't he?"

"Right, but think of it like this." Matthew turned to Gilbert once more. "There are three objects and three people. It makes sense that there would be one object per person, right? So all of us could find our object, but we'll just have to come together to go home."

"So we could start looking?"

"Exactly." Gilbert glanced down at his shoes. He wanted to go home. He wanted to be reunited with his brother and father as quickly as possible, but something about this didn't feel right. Three was better than two, especially with the dangers in this world. Matthew placed a hand on his shoulder, offering him a warming smile.

"Alright."

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks for all of the support so far!

Romance isn't my main goal with this story. But let me know if any of you would like to see PruCan in this story. It kind of shows in my writing, but I can make it more brotherly if no one wants it. Just let me know what you guys wants.


	5. Chapter 5

He was eating dinner when the man came. Lovino sat at his normal chair at the dinning table, his brother to his left. His father sat across from him, with his mother at his right. His grandfather sat at the head of the table, high and mighty above them all. The position he would have until he died later that evening. They ate their normal meal of pasta and garlic bread in silence as Lovino felt the tug of routine pulling him back. His routine, it was something strange. An abstract force that seemed to push at him every time Lovino did something he normally would have, before he had skipped school that day. But he wasn't going back. He wouldn't ever slide back into the normality. His took his bites out of cue, lessening the power the force had on wondered why he struggled with this, why he didn't just go back to the way he knew things were supposed to be. When these thoughts occurred, he would glance at the faces around him. They were void of any and all emotion, even his brother, who had a happy, bubbly personality when he entered his daily conversations. He couldn't go back to being such a hollow shell, feeling and thinking only when needed. He had found so much more in the break of his routine.

The doorbell rang. The sudden loud noise caused Lovino to jump, almost chocking on his current bite. His father, mother and brother looked unscathed. His grandfather, however, twitched. His emotionless expression changed, his lips curling down into a small frown. For the first time, Lovino saw his grandfather break out of his routine. He tossed his fork down on his plate, wiped his mouth with his napkin and left for the main hallway, where their front door was located. Though his heart still raced at the sudden scare, Lovino attempted to fall into the same pace his family had. His grandfather could notice something was odd about him now. He could force him back into his routine. Despite his fear, Lovino couldn't push away his curiosity about whoever could be visiting them. He looked towards the main hallway. Could he really dare putting his whole lifestyle on the line to take one peek?

XxX

It wasn't hard to notice how strange time was in this world. Though their conversation had begun just after breakfast, it ended in the evening. Matthew had wished to see the brilliant view until dark, but Gilbert had rushed him into the room in the final moments of light. The two now sat, talking beside the small table and candle that allowed them to escape from the night's darkness and chill. For the first time, they spoke to one another of their families left behind in their world. Matthew couldn't help but smile as he listened to Gilbert list off his younger brother's qualities.

"Ludwig's, eh, uptight. Tidy and always following his dumb schedule. He's always reading manuals and junk. I swear, he'll never get a girlfriend unless he finds a good manual on love. Like there is one. At least he's buff." Gilbert smiled, flexing his arm to demonstrate. "I wouldn't say as buff as the awesome me, of course. No one beats the awesome me." Matthew shook his head, causing his friend to pout.

"He sounds like the opposite of my twin brother. Alfred's always the hero." Matthew began, making sure to add air quotations when he said hero. "He runs into everything blind, from math tests to walls. He really tries to help everyone he can though. To bad he can't read the atmosphere to save his life." The two laughed over their hopeless but lovable brothers. After they had called and a moment of silence had passed, Gilbert spoke again.

"I miss him." He said quietly, resting his head on his palm. Matthew stared at him for a moment, saddened by the sadness that covered his companions eyes. He then turned and looked straight at the candle's flame, sorting his own thoughts. Alfred was far from the perfect brother. He often forgot Matthew. He never woke him up when his alarm didn't go of. He never returned favors and still owed him over a hundred bucks from the past five years alone, minus the credit Matthew continuously threatened him with. But he did his best to make up for it, just as a hero should. No one was allowed to physically bully his twin brother. Alfred had made that clear on the playground so many years ago, through loud gestures and only showing off his abnormal strength once. And when Alfred did notice him, Matthew couldn't get the boy to leave him alone, whether it be him begging to play two player on his new game with him, or answers to the homework for the class, though they didn't share any. He didn't have to be the perfect brother, because then he wouldn't be the idiot Alfred.

"I miss mine too." Matthew couldn't believe the words actually left his mouth, nor that he actually felt them. He offered Gilbert a smile, wanting to change the conversation before his mind wondered to more regrettable things. "What about your parents?" Gilbert met his eyes, the emotion within them changing from the longing he held before to a flash of something Matthew couldn't quite catch.

"I just live with my dad." Instead he heard it in his voice.

"What's he like then?" He would ask nothing about Gilbert's mother. He could see the pain it brought to Gilbert. Matthew had only seen it once and he knew he did not like the sight of Gilbert in pain. Gilbert lightly smiled, taking the cue from Matthew's words.

"An older Ludwig that I call Vati instead." Gilbert chuckled, lifting his head back to look at the ceiling. He could see his stern father right now, yelling at him for not being in bed. Yelling at him for only having donuts. Yelling at him to wake up. At home, on the road that day. He shook his head. It was better not to remember such things. He would be home soon enough anyway. "Looks exactly like him too. Makes me wonder where the hell I came from."

"Weird albino kid." Matthew laughed jokingly. Gilbert smiled and joined in.

"Yours?"

"Adopted by two dads that absolutely hate and love each other so much it's frustrating." Gilbert seemed intrigued as he raised an eyebrow and motioned for him to go on. Matthew lightly laughed and continued. "Papa is French. Very French. He loves food and loves love. Give him a good bottle of wine and you'll have him happy for hours. Dad is British. I should warn you to never be near him in the kitchen. Bad things happen when he's in the kitchen. That's why we have Papa. But he's a lover of literature and antiques. And though they're always at each other's throats, their love is so obvious it hurts." Matthew found his vision blurring as his thoughts ran through memories of his parents. Not one fight between he and them could come to mind as he sat in the candle light. Just a family that loved. "And they spent the time and money to care for two snotty nosed brats from an orphanage. I still don't get why, but they love us." He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his sweater. He shouldn't have thought about his family while he was here. He hadn't thought this much about them before.

"That's some awesome family you got there, Birdie." Gilbert leaned and placed a hand on the now sniffling Matthew. "Let's get you back to 'em." Matthew nodded. He wasn't sure what to expect when he returned home. His family could hate him for what he did. He would deserve it, after putting them through such pain. But as long as he would get to see them again. Because for the first time since he woke up in this world, he was sorry. And he really did miss them.

Gilbert wasn't sure why sleep continued to evade him. He tossed and turned, his mind flowing from one topic to the next as he awaited for his eyes to be lulled closed until morning. He wondered about his father and brother, how often they visited him in his hospital room and what gifts they might have brought him. Or if time was even working that way. All that happened in this world could be an instant in his world, and he would awake in the rubble of the car, as if it had all been a dream. He wouldn't call it impossible.

He interrupted his thoughts and began listening to the silence that surrounded him, only disrupted by the quiet breathing of Matthew. He was thankful for the silence of the room, that allowed him to sleep without the noises he knew where filling the night as they always had. Though the walls didn't seem sound proof, they worked to keep out the noises of the night. With Matthew's initial reaction to the beast from that morning, Gilbert was certain he was not ready to be exposed to them yet. He could see the poor boy laying in his bed across the room, awake through the night on high alert just as Gilbert had been. He laughed lightly as the thoughts rushed a wave of nervousness and fear over him. He hated the memories of his first few days here, but found himself wondering to them so often now that Matthew had arrived.

Gilbert reached to his pocket, running over the box of matches with his thumb. His only weapon. And though he would feel safer with a much more reliable one, it allowed him security, forcing back the emotions the thoughts brought to him. He hoped that security spread to Matthew as well. He wasn't sure why he cared so much about a boy he had just met. Was it that he was the only person he had seen since he arrived? Or that he was younger, close to Ludwig's age, and he felt the need to protect him? Or that he was his Birdie, a small feathery creature who's beauty was sacred in this world, and he was chosen out of all others to protect it? He liked the last option. He would continue to protect his awesome Birdie with his awesome matches and his awesomeness would never allow him to be hurt by anything that may be in this world. With that thought in mind, and pride filling his chest, Gilbert's eyes grew heavier and he allowed them to close.

"Did you hear that?" At the sound of Matthew's voice, they quickly opened again. Gilbert wasn't sure if he had fallen asleep, but in the time between his thoughts and now, Matthew had emerged from his sleep and relit the candle. He stood beside the table, watching the door that lead to the staircase with wary eyes.

"You sure you didn't dream it, Birdie?" Gilbert yawned and sat up, watching as his friend turned to him. He was shaken, biting his lip and clutching the fabric of his sweater in his fists. Clearly woken by the sound he claimed to have heard or a night terror, Gilbert was more certain on it being a night terror. Matthew paused for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

"Just listen." So Gilbert did. They sat, listening to the silent room. Matthew brought his hands in front of his face, covering his nose and mouth to quiet the breathing only he could hear. He looked years younger, like a small boy waiting for his parent to conclude that there was no monster waiting in the closet. Gilbert would have found the childish behavior cute, had he not hated the fact that Matthew was so afraid.

"I still think you dreamed it, Birdie." Gilbert sighed after a few more moments of silence. Matthew dropped his arms, looking down to the floor and sighing. "You could move your bed-" He was cut off by a large thud outside of the door. Matthew jumped, almost knocking over the candle in the process. Gilbert quickly stood, moving to his friend's side.

"That's it." Matthew whispered behind his hands which once again covered his face. Gilbert nodded, sorry that he had doubted his friend. The sound came once more, allowing Gilbert a chance to discern exactly what it was. Something banging against wood, he assumed. Something hitting the door? His eyes widened in realization as he remembered the thin man from that morning. It was him, it had to be.

"Matthew," Gilbert turned, looking his companion in the eyes. "Take the candle and go out onto the roof. No matter what you hear, don't come back in here. Got it?" He stated calmly, watching as Matthew took a nervous glance to the door each time the thud came. He quickly nodded, making his way to the roof clumsily but speedily. The door didn't full close behind him, but Gilbert didn't pay heed. He instead sighed once he was left in the dark, hearing nothing but a thud every few seconds. He pulled his matches from his pocket, taking his time grabbing another candle and trying to light it. Why didn't he remember the thin man? They would have had time to move. His hand shook as he struck the match. He didn't need to see another one of them. But he would take care of it, for Matthew's sake.

The door finally gave, revealing Gilbert's fears to be reality. The thin man wasn't the meek office worker they had encountered in the elevator. No, not anymore. What Gilbert could only accurately describe as vines spurt from various parts of his body, hanging down to the ground and bringing with them an oozing black liquid. The stench made Gilbert want to stop everything and puke. But he held the feeling back, knowing very well how dangerous the thing in front of him was. His clothing was torn to shreds, some seeming cut while some seemed burned or ripped. Scales covered what showed of his skin, some flaking off as if they had been scratched mercilessly by the monster's nails. They were still human, but abnormally long and darkened. He barred his teeth, bringing Gilbert's attention to his elongated jaw. Each of his teeth were pointed, with the ability to tear through skin with plenty of ease. His pupils were dilated to the point they covered all of his visible eye, and his once full head of hair was now spotted with vines or scales, falling out at he watched Gilbert.

Then he lifted his head, let out a noise that could wake the diseased. Gilbert wasn't sure what to call it. A growl, a cry, a scream. All he knew was he made the mistake of covering his ears. He couldn't comprehend the seconds after as the monster dashed towards the flinching man. His teeth dug into the albino's arm, allowing the red liquid to flow freely from it. Gilbert saw it before he felt the pain, pulling away before he lost the limb completely. His matches were on the ground before him. The candle, resting on the table. As he fell back onto his hands and knees, he knew he was completely at the mercy of the monster before him. Damn it.

Matthew stayed in one spot on the roof, covering his mouth with one hand, the candle in the other, as if the tiniest of breaths would cause the flame to disappear. He faced the door that separated him from Gilbert, and was sure would soon separate him from the noise. He did his best to ignore the other noises that surrounded him on all sides. They sounded distant, he continuously told himself. It was only the fear that made that last cry seem like it came from up in the roof. Gilbert wouldn't have sent him out here if it wasn't safe, he was sure of it.

But the world on the ground was hazardous, Matthew was now certain. It was why Gilbert had rushed him here after they had first met, he was sure. And why he rushed him inside as the light disappeared that evening, keeping Matthew blissfully unaware of the terrifying truth. Matthew took in a deep, shaking breath. Normally he was calm and collected when facing his fears, especially compared to his brother. But that was when they were watching a movie or their dad had dressed up and scared them. Not when he was in a different world and not only were the dangers real, but he had no idea what they were. The donut terrified him enough...

Matthew took another breath, wishing his sweater provided him more warmth from the night chill. Between the fear and the temperature, he was shivering down to his core. His glanced to the candle, the flame remaining still despite the holder's shaking hand. He couldn't understand how it was possible, and chose to focus on the strange phenomenon instead of the world around him. His eyes only returned to the door the moment he heard a squeak from it. Relief filled his heart when he thought of Gilbert returning to his side in all of this. He placed down his arm, ready to offer him a smile.

What stood at the door was not Gilbert.

The monster stood above him, barring its teeth once again and nearly suffocating Gilbert with its stench. Gilbert closed his eyes, preparing for the worst. It never came. The second the stench faded, Gilbert opened his eyes once more. He glanced around the room, his heart skipping a beat when he found the monster at the door that lead to the roof. No, not Birdie. He would not let this thing near his Birdie.

Gilbert stood, holding his bleeding and useless arm close to him. The bright red would stain his clothes, but that would be a matter he would have to address later. He grabbed the candle, chucking it towards the monster. It wasn't a powerful throw, as the monster had to take out his dominate arm, but it hit him, lighting what remained of his clothes aflame. The monster ignored him and the flames that quickly kissed his entire figure, instead pushing the door open with another menacing feature added to him. Gilbert swore under his breath.

On the roof stood the monster and a petrified Matthew. Gilbert attempted to run to his side, only to be swiftly whipped by one of the monsters vines. It was thin, but strong, sending the man into the air. He hit the ground, suddenly unable to move. He could only watch as the scene unfolded before him.

Matthew stepped back, the monster moved forward. Gilbert wanted to shout, but couldn't lift his head or find the air to do so. He felt as if his consciousness was draining, taking all of his senses except for his sight. He didn't want to horribleness that was soon to unfold. Matthew stepped back once again, his eyes having only left the monster once to take a quick glance at Gilbert. He had long since dropped the candle, which managed to remain right up and illuminate the area around their feet. One of the monster's vines moved around his feet. He took one more step back, tripping. And falling over the edge.

* * *

><p>AN: There is a slight chance of there being a longer wait between this chapter and the next. Shouldn't be long, but I would like to have chapter 7 almost finished before 6 goes up. I think a picked a good place to leave it off, no?

Thanks to those who responded to my question in the last chapter. We'll just have to see how things go for our PruCan.


	6. Chapter 6

Lovino stopped at the edge of the dinning room. His heart raced as he thought about the movement he had just made. His family remained still at the dining table, unscathed by his transition across the room. He hadn't made much noise, taking quick, long strides from his seat to the wall. His grandfather would never notice he was out of his routine. He leaned his head against the wall, listening for his chance. He listened as his grandfather opened their large door, it's bottom squeaking against the tile floor. Then silence. He was sure he could take one small glance, and no one would ever notice.

"Lovino Vargas?" He froze. He hadn't even gotten his eyes into the hallway to see the front door and he was found out. Bullshit! His heart raced as he waiting for another word. "Lovino, come here." He had time to register it now. Thankful it wasn't the voice of his grandfather. But the visitor knew his name?

Lovino moved into the hallway, carefully inspecting the scene that was laid before him. His grandfather stared wide eyed at the teen, his mouth slightly open in disbelief. The visitor smiled. He was a tall man, dressed in a long coat and a scarf. The evening sky embraced him from behind, giving him a slightly menacing appearance. Lovino shivered, not trusting him for one second.

"Hello, Lovino." He sounded joyful as he spoke, reaching his hand out for the teen to take. Lovino only glared at it in disgust. He wasn't going to take some stranger's hand. Not in a million years would he.

"Excuse him," His grandfather spoke, a small smile attempting to hide his still confused expression. It wasn't doing a good job. "He is always this way."

"I know. I've been watching him for some time now." Lovino's eyes widened at this. He knew this man was trouble. He was going to force him back into his routine, going to school everyday, three steps behind. Lovino forcefully shook his head.

"You can't make me do anything, bastard." He spat, his glare at the man growing all the more harsher. The man laughed in return.

"I only wish to talk to you." He raised his hand. Lovino watched as his grandfather's emotionless expression returned. He walked away from the duo, taking his place at the dining table once more as if nothing had ever happened. The man cleared his voice, bringing Lovino's attention back to him. "You're doing something no one should be able to do."

How long ago had that all been? Lovino pretended he didn't know the exact amount of time. He glanced towards the sky, pretending to think over the piece of information. He could probably say to the minute, but instead reminded himself to a more rounded amount of time. He met the man two years and a day ago. It all seemed so distant yet so close at the same time. The day he first saw the reality of his world. The day he obtained his first taste of knowledge, and began yearning for more of its bittersweetness. The day he watched the fate he had somehow avoid come to reality before his eyes, in the figure of his grandfather. The day everything in his life, once again, changed.

He couldn't help but relate it back to the day he had decided to skip school for the very first time. Lovino saw a new world that day. That was a fact he would never deny. Though now the act seemed so small and irrelevant, it was the first step in shaping the life he had today. It was a day that changed his life, just as meeting the man had.

He pulled his eyes away from the pitch black sky, continuing his walk through the nearly deserted city streets, guided by the light of a small candle flame. He didn't hear the moans and cries that were present throughout the night. They slid in one ear and out the other, just as they had every night he was out walking. They only mattered when they were close. And even then, they normally ignored him, continuing their search for... something. Lovino remembered when he was first introduced to the beasts, the night after he had met the man who had promised to teach him everything. The night his grandfather became one.

"Wait and see." The man had instructed him before taking his leave. His talk with Lovino had been short, but promised more information to come the teen's way. And now Lovino wanted it. He wanted everything to do with the mysterious man, who offered to teach him things about the world he lived in. Things no one but the man knew.

The world fell back into its normal silence the moment the man shut the door behind him. Lovino pushed down the urge to follow after him, to leave and never return. But he stayed, determined to follow his instructions so he could learn more. As he sat back down at his seat in the dining room, he couldn't help but laugh. After all these years of avoiding school, he felt like a student again. Only it was something worth his while to learn. Perhaps, if he learned enough of how the world around him worked, he could stand to change some things.

He finished his meal, ignoring those who sat around him. He knew what they did. The same as they always had, taking bites at the same pace, drinks at certain times for each. This would be where he began. He would find a way to break his family's routine, have them join him in his enlightenment. He had tried before, but no noise seemed to break through to them. Was it certain ticks? He never was sure. But perhaps he would learn.

His father finished a while before the rest of the family, as he always had. He picked up his plate and left the room. His mother and brother finished at the same time, his mother stacking the remaining plates before taking them to the kitchen. Lovino watched his brother skip after her, ready to help her wash the dishes. He wondered if he would be so cheerful out of his routine, when his actual personality showed through.

Lovino was then left alone with his grandfather. He couldn't help but be slightly saddened by his return to routine. It was an easy way to show the power the man had. Lovino knew he wouldn't have believed the power without a demonstration of it. But having his grandfather at his side, learning these things with him, would have been amazing.

Lovino felt a tug to return to his bedroom. He always would at this time, in his routine or not. He had nothing else to do in the rest of the house. But tonight he stayed at the table for a while longer, sitting in silence with the company of his emotionless grandfather. No, not emotionless. Lovino began to study the elderly man's face more closely. There was a hint of something, some emotion flashing through his features. But Lovino had no name for it. The aftermath of breaking out and returning? Maybe hope to break out once again? Lovino hoped for the last as he stood and slowly returned to his bedroom.

Lovino made his sleep schedule vary, going to bed earlier some nights and a few moment later on others. He didn't want sleeping to be the reason he fell back into his routine. Tonight was a later night, one of the nights he wasn't very fond of. He didn't like the darkness. He never really had. It was a childish fear, he knew. But the thought always occurred to him as night fell on the world outside. Maybe there was a reason his family was nestled into bed every night before dark. A reason he didn't want to find out.

Yet as he sat in his bed, Lovino found himself not even a bit tired. It was abnormal. His routine was always wanting him to already be asleep at this time, working to keep his eyes closed with every blink. But Lovino could stay up without trouble. He would have more trouble when he decided to fall asleep.

His room was growing darker and darker as blackness grew across the sky. He tucked himself under his blankets, wishing more and more that sleep would come with every second. He had never made it this late. Fear cradled his heart as he struggled to see what laid across the room from him. He would go to bed early from now on.

A quiet moan caused his heart to race. His head darted back and forth, inspecting every corner of the room though he could no longer see a thing. What sounded as a distant scream caused him to sit up. He pulled his blankets closer to him, his breath warming the fabric. He never realized how cold it was in his room. A loud growl rolled through the house, nearly causing Lovino to jump out of his skin. He slowly stood, finding himself completely helpless in bed. He knew there was a reason to avoid the night. He could now hear it all around him.

"Lovino," His door creaked open, allowing the voice to slide inside. Lovino pressed himself against the opposite wall, his body trembling. The person at his door moved inside, the small candle in his grasp illuminating his body and the area around him. Lovino looked at the remains of his grandfather, seeming as if they had long since been buried. His eyes were nothing but hollow holes, showing the decaying material inside. His skin was blackened, peeling away in some places to reveal his shocking white bones. The only way Lovino could tell it was his grandfather was his robe, the robe he always wore to bed.

The living corpse moved towards Lovino, slowly limping with each step. His flesh fell to the floor as he walked, disfiguring his form more and more. His smell caused the teen to dry heave as he watched. He stopped in front of Lovino, what remained of his cheeks lifting upward to create a horrifying smile.

"Lovino, my son." Lovino could only watch as his grandfather placed a hand on his shoulder. He wanted to run, but he legs wouldn't listen to his jumbled thoughts. In his new, hardly recognizable voice, his grandfather spoke again. "This will protect you." He held out the candle for the teen to take. Lovino slowly grasped it from the bony hand, watching as the limb fell to the floor once the weight was lifted. The corpse in front of him then fell. His grandfather was gone.

His cheeks were moist as the memory finished playing out inside his head. The night air chilled them. He had been so afraid then. He looked to the flame that rested on top of the candle in his hand, regret taking a hold of him. He would have handled himself so much differently had he known the things he knew now. Two years and a day ago, and though the candle had illuminates each of his nights since, it hadn't shrunk in size. All his grandfather did with his last moments was protect him. Other beasts that had tried to hurt him were taken down by his grandfather's candle's flame. Some wouldn't come near simple because of the sight of it. Light was a strong force against darkness.

No, Lovino couldn't say that. The saying was true, but beasts were not beings of darkness. Not from what he collected over his years watching them. They were a mix, people of light tainted from the dark. That was why he called them beasts, not monsters or demons. They were the final moments of those who had broken from their routine, a fate Lovino wasn't sure why he avoided. They transformed at night, roaming the streets to take care of their last desire before they turned to nothing. And though some had dark intentions, he still saw them as people. Bastards, but people. His candle protected him from those dark desires, not the beast, a being that still contained an amount of light until it's death. Like his grandfather.

Lovino was pulled from his thoughts at the sound of a growl. It wasn't its closeness that caught him off guard, though it seemed to be near. It was where it came from that was strange. Above him. He looked up, knowing well that the buildings that surrounded him were several stories high. But the beasts remained on the streets. Never had he seen one heading upwards, unless it knew its purpose. He began wondering what this one's was. It's growl sounded angry, though Lovino was certain the office buildings were deserted at this time. It couldn't have returned because of another person, could it? It growled again, and he figured it must be from the roof of the building beside him. He turned the corner, searching for the main entrance. He would have to see this beast for himself.

As he placed his hand on the main doors, he stopped. Another growl filled the air, but not long after came a strange thud. It sounded close, down on the ground with him. The beast didn't jump. It couldn't have. Lovino turned, examining the area around him as best as he could with his small candle. Then he came across the body.

It was a boy, no younger than him, unconscious on the pavement where he fell. Lovino quickly fell to his aid, sighing in relief as he found him breathing easily. As he inspected him in his candle light, he found the boy to be... odd. Unlike anything he had ever seen before. He was ordinary, far from a beast, with glasses at his side that had fallen off but surprisingly hadn't cracked on impact. A liquid slid down his face that Lovino assumed to be blood, but the damage didn't seem to be severe for his fall. Lovino searched his vocabulary for anything that described him. Average would be a word, if it weren't for one fact. He was of... a different race? No, that just didn't seem to cover it. Lovino grew frustrated, unable to understand this boy.

Light broke the horizon, causing Lovino to curse out loud. Now he wouldn't even be able to see the beast. He sighed once more, thinking over questions he would now be forced to ask the thing before him when he awoke. The beast would be among them, along with who he was and what was up with his freaky appearance. How could someone like him stay hidden from Lovino for so long? He had been up and down this street a million times!

"Wake up already!" Growing impatient, Lovino began to shake the boy. How long did he plan to stay asleep? "Asshole, wake up!" He shook harder, only stopping when the boy began to stir. His eyes slowly opened, adding only another strange addition to his appearance. He slowly sat up, looking around at his surroundings and placing a hand on his forehead. With a grumble he grabbed his glasses, slipping them on his face. Then he stared at Lovino, his face giving off a mix of shock and confusion. Lovino scowled. "What are you looking at, asshole? I fucking saved your life! No thanks? Just a damn blank stare. I see how things work, you creepy bastard." The boy blinked, gasping quietly.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled out, looking down to the pavement. "T-thank you. I just... You..." He shook his head, the situation obviously being too much for him. "I don't know what happened. And Gilbert said you would never notice me."

"Well fuck whoever this Gilbert is." Lovino stood, offering his hand out to the boy. "I'm not going to fucking leave a guy who just fell of a damn roof. Who do you think I am?"

"I... I don't know." The boy looked up at him, his answer reminding Lovino that he hadn't introduced himself. He offered the boy a sly smile.

"Lovino Vargas. Remember it, kid." The boy smiled back, taking his hand and slowly standing. He dusted himself off and looking around the brightening area once more. "You are?" Lovino asked, bringing him back to the conversation.

"Matthew Williams." The boy continued to speak quietly, causing Lovino to wonder if he was uncomfortable or simply spoke that way. Matthew looked towards the building, his eyes widening. "Gilbert." He mumbled in a volume Lovino could barely hear.

"The ass you mentioned before?"

"He's still with that thing." Matthew took off into the building. Lovino followed, ready to get some answers from the boy.

* * *

><p>AN: Feel like this chapter ended in a strange spot, but it would have been way longer had it not. Still eh...

Thank you guys so much for the support on this story! It means so much to read your reviews and see when people follow or favorite. Thank you all.


	7. Chapter 7

Gilbert stared blankly at the sky, watching as it's shades began to grow lighter. The monster continued ignored him, as if his one and only goal had been the death of his Birdie. He roamed around the edge of the building silently, his stench no longer bothering the senseless Gilbert. Though pleased, Gilbert couldn't bring himself to smile when he finally shriveled up in the light, leaving nothing but a pile of burning clothes. It wasn't justice. His Birdie was down below. Gilbert felt sick at the thought. He didn't want to look, but he knew he would have to eventually. If his mobility ever came back.

He remained in his fallen position, his arm still bleeding. He wondered if it was possible for him to bleed out. He would have by now if he could, wouldn't he have? Then it occurred to him. He could go weeks without eating in this world. He was certain it was because he was still alive in his world, in a hospital bed or still in the moment of impact. And his arm was bleeding due to an injury here, but he couldn't feel the majority of the pain and most likely wasn't bleeding in his body back home. Did that mean death was impossible in this world? More importantly, did that mean Matthew was alright?

Gilbert worked his muscles, struggling to stretch and sit himself upright. It took three tries, but he managed. He didn't understand how a whip could send him flying and the impact momentarily paralyze him. But he wouldn't bother himself questioning the mechanics of this world at this time. He had Matthew to get to.

Using his unharmed hand and the wall beside him, he slowly stood to his legs. They shook under his weight, causing the man to question his ability to walk. Gilbert would get to his Birdie, no matter what his body chose to do. He took a step, lightly smiling at he saw the satisfying result. His muscles were just getting used to working once more, that was it. They grew more stable as he moved forward.

He returned to the room he had once seen as safe, taking a moment to look at the damage. His blood pooled on the ground beside the table. The door laid on the floor, split from the monster's hammering. The candle sat at his feet. He picked it up, turning the wax in his palm. He really needed a better weapon than fire.

"Gilbert!" He was almost knocked down by the sudden embrace. Gilbert began to push whatever had grabbed him away, before realizing who the blond, feathery hair in his face belonged to. Matthew hugged him tightly, his arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "I'm so sorry I didn't help. I was so scared and... I'm so sorry." He apologized repeatedly, giving Gilbert no time to respond.

"Damn it, Birdie." Gilbert finally spoke over his mumbles, hugging the boy back. "You scared the shit out of me. Don't do that every again." They released, Gilbert placing his hands on Matthew's shoulders. "I mean it, Birdie. I swear if I had lost you..." Though relief filled him at the sight of the boy before him, Gilbert couldn't help but feel a bit of guilt at the thought of the monster. He had broken him out of his routine...

"I'm alright though. Don't know how, but I am." Matthew smiled, Gilbert quickly joining in with his own, ignoring his thoughts. Matthew felt reassured seeing Gilbert worry as much as he had. Though he hadn't thought of it before, he had only known the man for two days now. He shouldn't have been surprised if his almost death had meant almost nothing to Gilbert. How they were so close in only two days, a short two days he might add, was very strange. He wasn't complaining though. Gilbert was a good friend, strong and reliable. Knowing he cared was a huge relief. Though he had still fallen off a building... "Where did that thing go anyway?"

"Burned up in the light." Gilbert smirked as if he had killed it with his own two hands. "Won't be messin' with us no more. Team Awesome and Birdie for the win!" He struck a pose, gaining a laugh for his companion.

"Sorry to break up your reunion, but I want to know some things." The duo turned to Lovino, who had been inspecting the room since he had Matthew had arrived. He never would have expected the small storage space to be used as a living one. A horribly made one, but one nonetheless. How it had gone on under his nose was humbling to say the least. He wondered how long the two had been here, adding it to his ever growing list of questions to ask them.

"Oh, Gil, this is Lovino." Matthew quickly introduced the two. Lovino maintained a scowl at the pair. Matthew seemed harmless enough, but Gilbert didn't fit that category. His strange eyes and messy hair gave him the appearance of a troublemaker. Lovino wouldn't let his guard down anymore until he was certain these two would cause him no harm.

"Lovino?" Gilbert kept a blank face as he inspected him, moving himself between he and Matthew as he looked him up and down. Lovino kept back a laugh as he took note of how unlikely the man was to trust him. He wasn't the only one keeping his guard up in this conversation. "You're from this world?"

"Of course." An odd question to begin with. "Are you two not?"

"Do we look like we are?" Of course the answer was no. It explained Lovino's reason for not having the words to describe them. But he wasn't going to let that man make him look like an idiot.

"Excuse me for not knowing there were other worlds with somewhat intelligent assholes." Gilbert's blank expression turned into a glare as Lovino spoke. "Go home already then." He waved to them, receiving an annoyed huff.

"We would if we could." Matthew spoke now, finding the tensions between his friend and the man who helped him much too high. "We're stuck here until we-"

"He doesn't need to know all that." Gilbert cut him off. Lovino grew even more puzzled with the strange duo. He was determined to find out more.

"Then just answer my questions and we'll be good." He smiled lightly, receiving a smile from Matthew and a harsher glare from Gilbert in return. He would start with simple questions, going into deeper detail as they went on. "What are you?"

"Obviously human." Gilbert maintained quick remarks, laced with detest.

"And what makes you different from me? Your world different from mine?" Lovino asked, knowing the question didn't stick exactly to his simple then deeper approach. But he didn't want to waste much time getting unhelpful answers from that bastard.

"Well color for one thing." Gilbert mumbled, though the answer was still heard. Color? This was something new. Lovino's expression must have changed, for he saw shock cover Matthew's face.

"Do you know what color is, Lovino?" He asked politely, trying to keep himself from sounding as if he was degrading the man. Gilbert raised an eyebrow, having not taken that thought into consideration. How would he know what color was in a colorless world?

"I..." Lovino searched his mind, hoping to find an answer. He didn't want to seem weak in front of these people, especially that idiot of a man. Not knowing something, whatever this color was, it made him sound weak. Already on top of not knowing they were here in the first place. He clenched his teeth and scowled.

"Well... I guess it's not that easy to put into words. But it's something you see." Matthew began his explanation, a finger placed against his chin. "Like my sweater here." He pointed to the cloth on his arm. "It's red. Same with Gilbert's eyes."

"Red?" Lovino's scowl hadn't softened, though he listened intently and gathered the new information as quickly as he could.

"Yeah, it's the name of the color." Matthew couldn't help but smile. Never had he thought he would find himself explaining the concept of color to a man whose vision was fine as far as he could tell. "There's a lot of colors. The three primary colors, red, blue and yellow. Blue is..." He searched his and Gilbert's body for an example. "Like our jeans." Once again, he pointed. "And yellow is kind of like my hair. Your world is in black and white. There's also green, purple, orange, pink, brown..."

"You're overloading him, Birdie." Gilbert laughed as he watching Lovino's expression turn into a confused daze as he attempted to go over the new words and meanings.

"Sorry!" Matthew gasped, quickly moving onto his point. "Our world is all in color. Like us, as you can see. The grass and trees are all green. Concrete is grey and buildings can be different colors. The sky is every shade of blue as the day goes on. The clouds, white. The sun, yellow or orange." He would have continued, enjoying the simple task of naming daily object's colors, had Lovino not spoken.

"The sun?" It was another world Lovino was not familiar with. He asked curiously, no longer caring about how he seemed to the men. Their world was interesting, so who gave a damn if he seemed stupid? Knowledge was more important in the long run.

"The sun..." Matthew wondered how he could describe it without bringing them into further questions of his world. Though he enjoyed the simplicity, it could drag the conversation on for hours.

"The ball that lights up our sky." Gilbert stated, as if reading the exact thoughts Matthew was having. "I could go in more detail, but we're trying to shorten everything here."

"Right." Lovino still had no idea on this 'sun' concept. But it wasn't an important detail for him to know anyhow, right? He still longed to know more, but he asked his next question "How the hell did you get from your color world to here?" He asked, returning to the scowl he held before. As if he still had that image with these men...

"We don't know." Gilbert returned to his quick answers, pausing a moment before he continued. "All we know is how to get back. So if you excuse us, we'll be getting back to that. We'll be out of your way forever." He let a sly smile cross his lips as he began moving himself and Lovino towards the door.

"I'm not done with my questions yet, bastard!" Lovino snarled, shoving Gilbert away. He still needed more information of the night that had just passed. He moved on from the topic of them and their world. "Why was that beast here? What did you assholes do to make him come after you?" Lovino waited patiently for an answer. Matthew seemed generally confused about the subject, looking to Gilbert for guidance. Gilbert was reluctant to answer.

"I don't know." He finally said, his eyes flashing with guilt as he turned his attention to his shoes.

"Of course you do." Lovino was back in his territory, a subject he knew well about. His confidence returned as he glared at the man. "You broke him out of his routine so he came after you for revenge. I'm correct, aren't I?" Gilbert remained silent, but slowly nodded. Lovino heavily sighed, feeling pity for the man who was obviously hurting from the thought. He offered up a small, vain attempt at cheering him up. "You never really know what is going to set them off, asshole. Don't be blaming yourself." Matthew took note of his last words, an idea coming to his mind.

"Hey," He smiled. "You know a lot about those things, don't you Lovino?" Lovino nodded. "And you're interested in things about our world?" Once again, he nodded. Matthew took a breath and let his idea go out into the open. Gilbert wouldn't like it, he knew, but it could be beneficial to all of them. "Stay with us. You help us with those monster things and we'll teach you about our world."

"What?!" Gilbert turned his gaze from the floor to Matthew, his eyes widening. Lovino considered the option for a moment. Information for information. Though it meant spending more time with the bastard Gilbert, Matthew was reasonable. And he shouldn't let his time helping him go to waste to have him hurt later.

"Fine." He lightly smiled, enjoying the pure shock that covered Gilbert's face.

* * *

><p>AN: This chapter was really hard to write... But here it is! And I have a challenge if anyone would like to try it. Be Lovino. Try to describe red as if you have never seen or heard of it before. Let me know how you do.


	8. Chapter 8

"Since you're with us now, I guess you've got to know what's going on." Though still unhappy with the whole scenario, Gilbert took it upon himself to explain the letters to the new member of their small team. He, Matthew and Lovino sat at the table, the first envelope delivered to Matthew from the mail man sitting in the midst of them. Lovino's elbow rested on the table, his chin on his hand. He nodded for the albino to continue. "According to the letter Matthew got when he arrived, we need three objects to return home. Once they're brought together, they'll take us home." Gilbert stated, crossing his arms as he finished. Lovino raised an eyebrow.

"How many have you found?"

"None." Though he expected this answer, Lovino exhaled at a volume for the other's to hear. Gilbert frowned at his antics as Matthew looked between the two with a badly faked smile.

"Well, do you know anything about the objects, Lovino?" He asked hopefully. Lovino glanced at him, his almost bored expression giving a resounding 'no'. "Well, it also says we need three people to find them all." Matthew continued, pretending to be unscathed with the response, though he was disappointed. "I know I'm one, and I think Gilbert is one. Do you think...?"

"You think I'm the third?" Lovino let out a quiet laugh. "It would be convenient for you, but why? I'm not from you world, if you haven't noticed."

"I know, I know." Matthew sighed, looking down to the table. "I thought, just maybe..."

"We'll be going around, finding the objects without the third person anyway. If it isn't you, we'll run into him eventually. Ain't hard to find someone from our world, right? We kinda stick out." Gilbert stated as small grin spread across his face. "Shouldn't be a problem."

"How do you find these objects anyway? Do you even have any idea what they are?" Lovino asked, noting the lack of description that had been given to them. Gilbert's grin disappears instantly, allowing Lovino to guess the answer.

"That is a problem."

"Well done, detective." Lovino scowled, moving from his leaning position to sit up straight. "Since you two are getting no where, I'll give you my expertise." He took a moment to look at both of the pitiful men in the eyes before continuing. "Staying in this piece of shit living space isn't going to help you. So you're going to stay on the move with me. And maybe, just maybe, if you so happen to gather the required intelligence your dumb ass brains are lacking, you'll figure out a way to find these objects. Capiche?"

"Oui." Matthew nodded with a smile while Gilbert seemed reluctant to the agreement. He glanced at his companion before sighed and nodding himself.

"Good, asshats. We're leaving now." Lovino stood from the table, taking a glance to the open door which lead to the roof. Evening was falling on the world. Days were getting so short now. Oh how he hated winter. And the thought of facing it with these two was something he so wanted to avoid. Though he doubted they would find their way before it came.

"What about night?" The duo asked in unison, drawing Lovino from his thoughts on their soon future. He turned pack to them, pulling his grandfather's candle from his pocket, where he had placed it for safekeeping once it was no longer needed earlier that day.

"My side of the deal is to help you with the beats." He stated nonchalantly, twirling the candle around in his palm before placing it back until it was truly needed. "Now come on. I want to make some progress before dark, damn it."

The trio walked through the busy streets, Matthew and Gilbert struggling to keep up with Lovino's pace. Matthew had been impressed his first evening in the world, when he had seen Gilbert dodging between passerby, but Lovino was something else. He weaved through them with expertise, as if he had been subject to the strange crowds his whole life. Matthew sighed at his thought. He had been here his whole life, walking among these crowds no doubt every day. He just seemed so different, it was easy to forget he was of this world. Matthew found himself wondering about Lovino's past, what had caused him to become so different from the other people that inhabited this world. Whatever it was, Matthew was grateful. Though Gilbert obviously wanted to have nothing to do with his rude attitude, Matthew was alright with him. He reminded him of his dad. He saw him as no father figure, but it meant he knew how to deal with his personality. Despite his hateful words and normally awful posture, Lovino was a smart and cunning young man. He enjoyed learning, a fact that Matthew had used to keep him around, and knew many things about the world that were sure to be useful to them.

"Keep up, Birdie." Matthew returned from his thoughts to find himself falling behind from the group. Gilbert reached his arm back and latched onto his, rushing him forward to his side. Lovino was interesting, but he was no replacement for Gilbert. Without him, Matthew was sure he would end up left in the dust. He could stand their clashing if it meant his caring, brotherly friend was still at his side.

As the world dimmed, the streets grew more deserted one more. Lovino slowed, pulling his candle from its place and handing off a candle to both Matthew and Gilbert. He glanced around at the buildings that surrounded them, using his last glimpse of light to figure where they were in the city. Not that it truly mattered. It seemed to grow and change every time he moved through it. And yet he always found his way home, or to the cathedral, or wherever he was heading, in the same amount of time. It really was better not to question the physics of his world.

"Are we going to keep going through the night?" Matthew asked, using Gilbert's matches to light his candle. He was unaware that as the world had grown darker he had moved closer and closer to Gilbert, and seemed to be fusing with him as the beasts began their nightly howling. Gilbert took a glance towards him with an amused grin, putting his arm around him in an attempt to comfort. He refused to appear as terrified as Matthew was.

"Of course. Unless you have to sleep." Lovino stated as he lit his candle, watching the flame instead of the street before them. He glanced back to see the two shake their heads. "Then we move on. Keep your asses close and we should be fine." They continued their walk, Lovino a few steps ahead with Matthew remaining at Gilbert's side.

"Are we just going to keep going until Matthew and I figure this out?" Gilbert asked, more for the sake of covering the noise of the beasts than to know the answer.

"I want to get out to the city. Less beasts in the suburbs and almost none in the country side. We'll see how we go from there."

"Ah..." Lovino suddenly stopped, his hand motioning for Gilbert and Matthew to do the same. He sniffed the air, his nose wrinkling in disgust. Gilbert followed suit, finding the air that surrounded them to smell as if they were sitting in a barn. Lovino ushered the two into an alley before waving his candle around the sidewalk as if he were warding off evil spirits. Gilbert stood between Matthew and the darkness that rested behind them, determination covering his face. Matthew felt lost.

"Are one of those mon-?"

"Quiet, Matthew." Lovino whispered harshly. A pause of silence surrounded them. Lovino could sense one of them in the darkness, watching and waiting for an opportunity to strike. He just didn't know why they were wanting to fight. The trio hadn't been into this part of town until now. There was no possible way for them to have disturbed it. Unless...

"Lovino!" A furry hand reached into his light, knocking the candle from his hand. Lovino watched as it hit the pavement, bouncing but still burning. His candle... Never had a beast reached out and touched his candle, his grandfather's blessed candle, before. He stared at it in complete shock. Matthew moved to his side, pulling him back from the beast and into the alley. He leaned back against the wall, a sudden wave of pain now rushing over him. He looked down to his hand. Nausea overtook him.

Gilbert could only see the silhouette of the beast. He stood where Lovino has stood moments ago, holding his candle close to his chest, the flame pointing outward. It stood at the edge of his vision, staring at him through eyes he could not see. From what he had seen when it attacked Lovino, he knew it had most likely once been a woman of average height. Now it bore large arms that extended to the ground. They had large claws, better classified as talons. It seemed different than the one before. Despite it's outburst against Lovino, it still seemed less hostile, simply watching Gilbert's movements instead of full on attacking. The man from the pervious night would have fought anyone he had seen on that roof.

Gilbert was unsure of where the courage came from, but he stepped forwards. Her feet came into the light, thin and bird-like. She stepped back. A shy beast. He almost laughed at the thought. He stepped forward again, but this time was greeted by something strange. The beast evaporated into what appeared to be feathers. The fluttering silhouettes flew out of his vision, disappearing into the night. He blinked, finding himself alone on the street. No feathers or other residue left behind. Even the barnyard smell had faded in an instant.

"Gilbert, come here." Matthew urgently ushered Gilbert to him and Lovino. Gilbert obeyed, picking up his comrades candle on the way. He leaned down beside him, finding the man staring down at his hand, his eyes widened in disbelief and shock.

"Holy shit..." Gilbert let the words pass under his breath as he saw the grey liquid violently rushing from Lovino's left hand. His ring and pinky finger missing, gone to the beast.

* * *

><p>AN: Word's can't express my hate for writer's block. Shorter than I would have hoped, but this chapter is here. Enjoy!

And thanks to those who took my little challenge. It's really hard to describe a color, isn't it?


	9. Chapter 9

Lovino stared down at his hand, slowly moving his fingers one by one. Pain covered his face every time he attempting to move what wasn't there. Matthew had told him to stop moving it multiple times, but Lovino refused to listen. That, or he simply wasn't hearing. Still in shock, Matthew assumed. He was sure he would be too if he looked down and found two of his fingers missing. He sighed, stopping his attempts to regain the man's focus and instead returned his attention to the cloth he held to his hand. It had been white when Gilbert retrieved it for them. Now it was over halfway soaked in his grey blood.

Gilbert closely inspected the street for Lovino's missing appendages, continuing to come up with nothing. He was sure they could be reattached somehow. And maybe heal alright too. He had spent the majority of his time searching where the candle had fallen, seeing as that also fell when the beast had attacked him. He had widened his search multiple times, checking every possible area for specks of blood or other traces of the fingers. They couldn't have just disappeared, right? Surely the night's darkness just made it harder for him. He should stop until day break. But then they would most likely be stepped on... Gilbert grew frustrated as the fingers continued to evade him. He momentarily gave up, returning to the alley and sitting beside Lovino. He took a glance towards the sky.

"How long until morning?" He asked, praying his voice would not bring more trouble to the group. Matthew kept his worrying eyes on Lovino and shrugged. Lovino had yet to utter a word since the encounter, and didn't break his streak now. "Can you bleed out from losing a finger?" Gilbert looked to the cloth he had retrieved from one of the buildings next to them for his companion. It was fully soaked now, dripping down onto Lovino's pants. A very worrisome sight he was not too happy to see.

"I'm sure you could." Matthew's voice shook as he spoke. He added more pressure to the wound, causing Lovino to flinch. "Want to find another?" He looked up to Gilbert, giving a quick nod to motion towards the cloth. Gilbert nodded, standing once more and turning to the edge of the alley. Lovino annoyed him so, but he would not let him die without a fight.

Light had peeked over the horizon when he emerged from the building, a new cloth in hand. Gilbert lightly smiled, pleased by the silence that filled the world. His vision was beginning to become clearer, giving all the more ease to his search. And if he hurried, he would have plenty of time to find them before the people began their morning routine. Morning could be a wondrous time.

He turned, facing the sidewalk that would lead him to the alleyway. He found himself stopping for a moment, taking a look at where the short, but hurtful fight had occurred. It wasn't obvious where Lovino had been standing now, with no blood or other markings, but Gilbert could make a guess. The sidewalk and street were empty, with no handless finger in sight. He quietly sighed, deciding that maybe they could in fact disappear.

A soft wind in blew from behind him, rustling his hair as it did. He patted it down, slightly amused by the weather. It was a strange occurrence. It was rare for anything to change except for the varying temperature. He hadn't seen rain or a cloud since he arrived. Gusts of wind were far and few between. It grew stronger, an object quickly blowing past taking his mind off the rarity of the moment. His eyes widened at the sight of the bright, fluttering thing. A yellow feather, he figured after a moment. It looked as if it could belong to the bird that lead him to Matthew.

It landed near the alley, giving Gilbert the time to rush towards it before the wind picked up again. He took it into his hand, amazed by its bright color and strange warmth. He rubbed his thumb across it, it's softness causing him to forget about his other responsibilities. It was as if he held the full bird in his palm. Had it just came off? He found himself looking upwards, but finding nothing but a dull sky.

"Gil?" He looked over to the alley, finding Matthew's worried expression now focused onto him. "What are you doing?"

"Look at the feather, Birdie!" He held it up for his companion to see, expecting excitement of some sort but only received a sigh in response. "It could be important." He retorted. It looks like the ones that were on the bird that lead me to you, you know." How annoying was it that his friend would think he was just messing around. He didn't forget about Lovino. He swore he didn't. Of course.

"You're not holding anything, Gil." Matthew seemed to grow more worried, returning his gaze to Lovino. Gilbert pulled his hand back to him, fixating his eyes on the feather that still rested in his palm. It was right here. He could see it, feel it. It couldn't be some crazy hallucination. "Maybe we do need to sleep." Matthew suggested, barely loud enough for Gilbert to hear. Gilbert shook his head, placing the feather in his pocket as he went to the alley. He watched as Matthew switched the clothes, the new one quickly becoming covered in Lovino's blood. Lovino hissed in pain.

"Fuck this, damn it. I swear, I'll make that bitch pay." He growled through clenched teeth, shooing Matthew's hand away and holding the cloth himself.

"Welcome back." Gilbert lightly chuckled, relieved that his companion had spoken. Lovino rolled his eyes, standing and looking out to the now crowded streets. "We're not leaving right now." Gilbert stated, keeping his seat. "I do not want to run through a crowd."

"Fine, asshat. We'll stay until it calms down." Lovino leaned against the wall, lifting the cloth to take a glance at his hand. He shook his head slowly, a look of disbelief crossing his face once more.

"How bad does it hurt?" Matthew asked, watching him with the same amount of worry he had before.

"Like hell. Dumbass bitch. I'll take her whole arm. " Lovino shook his head, a small grin coming to his lips. "At least she didn't get my thumb."

"True." Gilbert leaned his head back, watching as the sky grew brighter. "You keep saying you'll hurt her though, like we'll see her again. She should be gone now, right? Daytime." Lovino went silent for a moment, the nodded.

"I'm just talking, I guess. I would though, if I ever say her ugly ass face again." The trio enjoyed the small amount of laughter shared between them all.

"Are you feeling alright?" They walked in the same formation they had the day before, despite the lack of people around them. Lovino walked with the same quick pace, still steadily loosing blood. It was silently decided among them that he could lose as much as he wanted and still be good to go. Gilbert and Matthew once again worked to keep up, but still remained behind at each other's side. Matthew looked towards Gilbert, talking loud enough for only him to hear. Gilbert sent him a small smile as he responded.

"Of course. You should be worried about Lovi, you know."

"What the hell did you just call me?!"

"Then what was with the feather earlier then?" Matthew asked, ignoring Lovino's new nickname and his hatred for it. Gilbert placed his hand in his pocket, rubbing the feather to ensure it was still there. He could lie to Matthew and pretend it was all a joke. The boy had enough to worry about. But if it did end up being important, then he should know. Gilbert sighed, hating the dilemma he was faced with.

"I... Maybe..." Gilbert struggled to put his thoughts together, still unsure of what he wanted to inform his friend of. "It's just weird, Birdie." He exhaled loudly, wishing Matthew would direct his eyes somewhere else. He felt guilty knowing his friend worried so much about him...

"I'm not saying you didn't see it. This world is strange. You could very well be able to see things I can't. So just tell me about it." Matthew turned his head forward, watching where the trio walked. Gilbert scratched his head, feeling slightly relieved that his Birdie didn't think him crazy. He pulled the feather from his pocket, inspecting it closely.

"Well, it's yellow." Matthew nodded for him to continue. "It's really soft, and pretty warm. It was warm when I picked it up too, like it just came off the bird. Are feathers warm when they come off a bird? I don't know. Maybe it's just warm, like the letters are cold." Gilbert lightly blushed when he noticed Matthew's grin. Why did he have to go off rambling...? He forced the thought our of his mind and continued. "I think it is important."

"It's just a feather."

"It's yellow though. The only colored things in this world I've seen besides us are the letters and the bird that lead me to you. So it has to have some sort of importance." He concluded, placing the feather back into the pocket he had pulled it from.

"Maybe it's one of the objects?" Matthew suggested, looking back to the man. Gilbert shook his head.

"I really doubt we'd come across them as easily." Matthew sighed and nodded in agreement. "But maybe it's a clue to one or something like that." Gilbert thought aloud as he pondered over possibilities in his head. "Or my awesome chick friend just wanted to drop by and say hello!" He smiled, receiving a laugh from his friend.

"Assholes, stop running your mouths and look." The two quieted, noticing Lovino had stopped his walk. They looked ahead, finding the city to stop abruptly, leading on to acres and acres of farm fields. There was an invisible line that created the border between the city and land, where paved streets switched to dirt roads, whole buildings cut in half, and the sky grew a shade darker. The world switched in an instant.

"Is this normal?" Matthew asked, looking along the border line to find that it stretched for as far as the eye could see in both directions. Lovino stared straight ahead, inspecting a run down barn in the distance.

"Hell no."

* * *

><p>AN: This was going to go up yesterday, but my birthday delayed it. As an apology you get a random fact about me. Anyone superstitious? I was born at 13:13 on the 13th.

SuperstitiousSeaturtles: I haven't, but it looks interesting. I might just have to read it.


	10. Chapter 10

Lovino was the first to step into the farmland, wasting no time looking back as he continued his walk along the now dirt road. He did, however, keep his guard up, taking glances at the corn stalks that grew to each side of him. In this world's silence, he would have no warning before something attacked. And he wasn't sure they were safe in this part of the world. Hell, he wasn't entirely sure they were in his world anymore. Everything looked like a normal farm he would find along in the countryside, but a nagging feeling in his gut told him it wasn't. Lovino both hated and loved how his gut had a keen instinct on being right.

Matthew followed behind, taking the glance behind him that Lovino hadn't. The glance turned into a long stare. He hadn't taken two steps and the city they had once occupied had now vanished. The same fields that surrounded him seemed to go on forever behind him. He quickly looked around him for his friends, a small bit of relief filling him when he saw they were still near. Lovino continued to walk ahead, but didn't seem to be gaining much distance from him. Gilbert remained at his side, staring at the same spectacle Matthew had.

"Freaky..." The albino mumbled as he looked around at the crops that surrounded them. "We should catch up, yeah?" He sent Matthew a small smile that did a worse job at hiding his nervousness that he would of liked. Matthew nodded, beginning a slow jog to catch up with Lovino. Gilbert waited behind a moment, his hand roaming to his pocket to insure that its contents was still there. He wasn't sure how it could have fallen out in the few steps he had taken, but he suddenly felt the need to check. The feather was still there, having notably grown warmer. He concluded that it was most likely because of his body heat and made no other assumptions. He rubbed the soft object with his thumb before catching up to his friend, and then to their companion.

"Have you ever seen anything like that before?" Matthew asked as he arrived at Lovino's side, happy that his pace had finally slowed to one that he could keep up with. Lovino scowled.

"I've seen my share of strange shit in this world, but nothing like that." He glared at their surroundings, seeming to inspect each row of corn they passed. His high defenses were not over looked by the other two.

"How safe do you think we are here?" Gilbert asked, now also feeling the need to watch the multitude of stalks around them. The road seemed to grow thinner as they moved, the crops coming closer and allowing the trio to see how tall and tightly packed they really were. They easily rose above all three men, having the ability to hide anything among them. They would have no idea if anything, or a pack of anything, was watching their every movement.

"I honestly have no fucking idea." Lovino sighed, returning his eyes to the road before him. He took in the sight of the barn that sat in the distance. They hadn't been walking long, but it should have been closer by now. Yet it still stood at the same distance away from them, maintaining the same run down look. He had seen many buildings like it before, and could easily conclude that the owner had become a beast many years ago. The building was left to rot, with no one able to go out of their routine to do anything about it. When they finally arrived at it, it would be long empty, dusty, but not looted. Perhaps there was a farm house around that went along with it, in the same situation but with more valuable items for them. Lovino continuously told himself all of this, but remained intimidated by its presence.

"What should we worry about? There aren't any beasts in the day." Matthew smiled, hoping to rationalize the group's fears.

"I haven't been to an area like this. It's unlikely, but there could be something other than beasts here." Lovino explained, leaving Matthew with more worry than before.

"Like what?" Gilbert asked, still scanning the fields around them for any and all movement.

"I don't know. I've never seen anything other than people and beasts here."

"Then how do you know there is anything at all?" Gilbert's eyes rested on Matthew, growing slightly angry with how scared the boy seemed. "If you haven't seen anything, then we're probably fine, right?"

"I know more than you do, but I don't know everything about this world. A prime example is the change between city and farm." Gilbert sighed, knowing fully well that Lovino's warnings were justified. He walked closer to his Birdie, placing an arm over his shoulder. Matthew lightly smiled at him before returning his watch to the crops.

As they continued to move, the crops thinned and shortened. They began looking unhealthy, bending over and beginning to wilt. Though it was now easy to see that there was no danger surrounding them, the sigh was still unsettling to the group. There had to be some reason for the crops death, and poor soil didn't seem to be a believable option. The sky was growing darker as evening approached, encouraging the three to walk faster towards the barn that had since become reasonably closer.

"We'll spend the night there." Lovino stated, having explained that it would be empty. "Unless you want to keep mov-"

"We're staying there." Matthew cut him off, his eyes continuing to check around them for anything that could harm them. Lovino nodded as they finally reached the old barn. It was large, pain peeling and holding a sinister aurora. It most likely held many things back in it's day, some of which were most likely still inside. It dawned on Lovino that he didn't know the exact purpose of barns. Holding crops until they were shipped? Then they wouldn't be as fresh... He pushed the thought away, continuing to look over the building.

It had begun to fall apart, holes in the roof being easily visible and stray wooden boards surrounding the area outside. The trio could only pray that it was stable as they worked to open the large doors. Before it had opened an inch, a putrid smell reached the three. They stopped their work, each taking time to cough and recover.

"We would hear a beast." Lovino looked at the building in disgust, unsure of what could cause such a smell. "We would have disturbed it by now."

"Maybe we should go somewhere else?" Matthew suggested, looking around the barnyard for any other building. In the late evening, he couldn't see much but faint outlines of crops and fences. A loud, menacing growl from the path they had walked encouraged them to continued working their way into the barn, horrible smell or not.

They entered in, shutting the heavy doors firmly behind them and inspected the area with their last amounts of daylight. The source of the smell was now obvious, as they saw each stall in the barn hosting two or more dead and decomposing animals. Cows, pigs, horses, sleeps, all normal farm animals that had been starved to death in the absence of their owner. Lovino walked past the stalls slowly, looking over them in shock.

"You act like you've never seen a cow before." Gilbert laughed as he sat himself down on a pile of hay. Lovino looked over to him, them back to the animals. Gilbert's laughter faded when he didn't receive the sarcastic answer he was expecting. "You haven't?"

"No, I haven't." They were of his world. He could tell by the lack of color they had. They were just something he had never seen before. "Cows..." He thought aloud, looking at the animals that laid before him. If only he had seen some alive...

"They aren't all cows." Matthew arrives at his side, a small smile on his lips as he readied himself to teach his friend something else that seemed so simple. "The spotted ones are cows. The ones covered in wool are sheep. The taller ones are horses and the smaller ones are pigs. Their all farm animals."

"Animals," Lovino repeated, taking in the new information. "So that is what a barn is for." He turned away from the death and pretended as he if didn't care much about what he had learned. Matthew said farm animals, so there were more animals? He wanted to see them, alive preferably. He lit his candle and laid it safely away from anything that could catch fire. He sat on the same pile of hay Gilbert did, leaving room in between them for Matthew.

"How come you've never heard of them? It's obviously not something that isn't here." Gilbert asked, looking up at the sky through one of the many holes on the roof.

"I just haven't." Lovino sighed, closing his eyes to rest. "I've just never been in a barn to see them, I guess."

"We learn a lot about them when we're little in our world." Matthew explained, taking his place between the two. "Helps us learn how to read, learn colors, bunch of things. And most people want to know where their products come from. Like milk from cows, bacon from pigs. You have all that here, don't you?"

"Of course. Just never thought about it, I guess." Lovino sighed loudly. These things seemed so simple and yet he didn't know them. He always thought of himself as a man to seek answers. Apparently he wasn't asking enough questions.

Lovino and Matthew fell asleep rather easily, despite the many noises from outside that were strange even to this world. Lovino leaned back into the hay, his arms crossed and legs stretched out. Matthew was curled up, his head resting on Gilbert's arm. Gilbert couldn't help but smile at them, noticing how innocent they seemed as they slept. Had he not been here with them, he never would have guessed what the two were actually like. Lovino, a rude and annoying man born into a horrible, colorless world. And Matthew, a quiet boy who almost died and ended up here, wanting nothing but to go home.

Gilbert sighed, his mind wondering just to Matthew and his life before all of this. He knew a small amount about his family, yes, but not much else. He wondered where he lived, where he went to school, what his daily life had been life. More on his mind, he wondered what tragedy brought his Birdie here. This world was cruel. Yes, they couldn't die here, go hungry or feel as much physical pain as they should, but that didn't make it anything spectacular. It shouldn't be a place for Matthew to end up.

Gilbert remembered the car accident that brought him here. His father was driving, he sat in the passenger's seat and Ludwig in the back. They were on their way to see their mother's grave. He couldn't remember much before the impact, just the picture of the speeding truck going the wrong way towards them and the feeling of his father's arm across his chest. Then he was there, alone in the highway, surrounded by his own blood. His first thought had been of Ludwig. He had screamed his name, not even noticing that both his father's truck and the one that hit them was gone. His realization had been slow, first noticing how much blood had coming from seemingly nowhere. He should have been in more pain, had more cuts and bruises, something. It was then he noticed the striking contrast between him and the monochrome world around him. It took a while for it to set in that he was no longer home in his world. Evening had set on the world by the time he moved from his spot on the highway.

But Gilbert could understand his place here. He wasn't a model student, far from. He had spent a good amount of time getting to know the local police when he was a younger teen. And not because he had been aspiring to become one. Anything he thought of not to do, he could remember a time doing it. Karma had brought him here for his bad deeds, he was sure. But Matthew wasn't like him. There was no way he could ever be as he was. As far as Gilbert was concerned, this world was fit for the people karma selected.

Or those who tried to take their own life. Gilbert pondered the possibility a moment, of Matthew committing such a deed. No, impossible. Matthew was far too sweet and caring. He wouldn't cause his family that pain, even if he hated his life. Gilbert smiled at his Birdie, relived at his conclusion. He hated those who committed suicide. Life was a precious gift that could be stolen at any moment. He had learned that when his mother died. It had left his family so broken, a wound that could never fully heal. A person taking their own life is selfish. They don't think of what they leave behind. The people who will mourn over them, day after day after day. They can't see the pain it causes. They hate themselves, while there is always someone that still loves them. It's so stupid.

Gilbert was pulled from his thoughts by a growing warmth in his pocket. He pulled out the feather, surprised that it could grow so warm. He was sure it couldn't be his body heat. No, the feather had grown warmer throughout the day, as they progressed to the barn and settled down. Gilbert couldn't help but become worried by its purpose. His first thought had been that it grew warmer as they approached something, perhaps the object. Yet its heat still intensified now that they were done moving. What if, whatever it was leading them to, was coming to them...? A bright yellow warning sign.

Morning came, leaving Gilbert without any sleep. The light trickling in through the holes in the roof and the new silence brought him a feeling of safety. Matthew mumbled beside him, the light hitting his head in such a manner to wake him. He tossed and turned for a moment, before coming to and sitting up. Gilbert watched as he rubbed his eyes, hay sticking out from his slightly messy hair. He chuckled as he began brushing his friend's hair with his fingers, removing what didn't belong as he did.

"Good morning." Matthew stretched and yawned, taking in the sight of the barn and remembering the day prior. Gilbert patted his head when he finished.

"Good morning, Birdie." He responded with a bright smile, standing from the pile of hay and popping his back. "Wake up Lovi and lets get out of this smelly place." The feather's warmth spread across his torso. Gilbert acknowledged it, but decided not to tell Matthew just yet. As long as they moved, they should be alright. He could inform him and Lovino of what he thought its purpose was later.

"Gilbert," Gilbert turned back to his friend when he noticed the worry in his tone. Matthew now leaned over Lovino, his hands on his shoulders. "He's not waking up." He stated quietly, lightly shaking the man.

"Damn it, Lovino..." Gilbert moved to his side, ushering Matthew to step back. He uncrossed Lovino's arms, finding that his blood had soaked his shirt and the hay below him. Gilbert cursed under his breath, quickly checking his pulse. It was weak, but he was still miraculously alive. Gilbert would question how when he knew he would be alright. He roughly shook Lovino, the man remaining limp and unconscious. "Wake up, damn it!" He began shouting, continuing to shake and hope.

"Gilbert, you... You're smoking!" Matthew pointed to Gilbert's pocket, causing him to stop his attempts to wake Lovino and attend to the burning material. Though not on fire, the feather quickly burned a hole through his pocket and too his stomach, making him hiss in pain. He tossed it onto the ground before it could burn his hand or anything else. Before he could return to Lovino's aid, s sudden loud shriek radiated through the the barn. Gilbert looked up to the roof, finding the silhouette of a massive wingspan above them. "We need to grab Lovino and go." Matthew stated, ready to help carry the man.

"We can't run from that thing, Birdie." Gilbert looked down to the feather, internally cursing himself for being right about the it's purpose. He needed a plan, quickly. He bit his lip, looking around the barn as they heard the winged creature landing on the roof. "Help me hide Lovino in the hay."

* * *

><p>AN: Holiday break is coming up soon, so the next chapter could be up really quick. Or all of the holiday madness could keep it from coming until next year. If the second is the case, then I wish you all a happy holidays!


	11. Chapter 11

Gilbert and Matthew rushed to cover up their friend, unsure of how much time they had until the terror above was to descend on them. It's talons could be heard clicking against the roof as it walked, no doubt surveying its prey through the many holes. As Matthew worked to give Lovino a hole to breath through, Gilbert grabbed his arm.

"He's good. Let's go." He stated, pulling on Matthew's limb. Matthew sighed and nodded, following the albino to the giant barn doors. Neither dared a glance upward, fearing to make eye contact with the creature. It could be heard slowly walking, heading to the spot above them as they worked to open the heavy doors.

"What now?" Matthew asked in a hush voice, barely audible to Gilbert. Gilbert took a moment to answer, both trying to decipher the whispered question and come up with a solution. Matthew took note of this, growing only more worried that they would be planning as they went through this.

"I'll lure it away to the corn fields." Gilbert finally stated, getting the doors open enough for the two to slide through. "Once I'm far enough, you grab Lovino and leave." Matthew shook his head, his eyes narrowing to a glare.

"What are you thinking? That's way too dangerous." He scowled, offended that Gilbert would even suggest such a thing.

"What other plan do you have then?" The creature's talons could no longer be heard as it no doubt prepared to ambush them from above. Matthew took a quick glance upward, seeing a foot working its way through a smaller hole. He wouldn't have time to think of anything else. He couldn't even fully see what he was up against.

"Fine." He sighed, looking out to the large yard that separated them from the crops. It would be a long, exhausting run before he had any chance of safety. "Just be careful." Gilbert nodded, offering Matthew the tiniest bit of relief. He smiled as proudly as he could before taking a deep breath and sprinted towards the corn fields.

The creature took flight after him. Gilbert didn't risk a look, knowing it was no doubt soaring right above him. He kept running at a speed he never knew he could reach, growing closer and closer to the safety of the large stalks. They looked tall enough to lose the beast in. Gilbert prayed his eyes weren't deceiving him. His side began to burn as he began running over the tilled soil they were planted in. The corn seemed smaller than the day before, giving him little to no cover from the creature. He mentally cursed, feeling his body beginning to slow from exhaustion. He continued sprinting as fast as his legs could allow, thinking desperately of what he could do to get away. He didn't see the root spitting up from the earth before it got a hold of his foot.

Matthew watched Gilbert until he disappeared into the crops. He made it. He would be safe. With a sigh of relief, he turned towards Lovino. The precious seconds they spent covering him up did nothing with this plan. But it could have helped in many other scenarios, so he wouldn't complain. He pushed the hay off of him, placing the unconscious man over his shoulder. He turned towards the barn door, taking a moment to plan his next move. He hadn't paid attention to what the opposite direction had in store, but he had no choice but to head that way, away from the creature. He hoped Gilbert would be able to find him soon.

He slid through the barn door, squishing to get both he and Lovino out. He looked towards the crops where Gilbert had run. The creature was gliding above, searching for the man who appeared to doing well at staying out of sight. Matthew felt relief as he saw the creature aimlessly circle in the sky, unsure of where his prey had gone. He then felt his heart drop as he watched the monster swoop downwards.

Gilbert pushed himself up from the dirt he had landed in. His groaned as he felt a sharp pain in his ankle. He gulped and turned when he heard the beast land behind him. He ignored the aching in his foot, choosing to pay close attention to the details of the beast standing above him. Gilbert was surprised when he noticed the very feminine appearance of the creature. It was a human woman with large breasts and lifeless eyes. Her legs were replaced with long, bird-like ones with sharp talons. In the place of her arms were two large, molting wings that scraped the ground beside her feet. On her head sat what appeared to be a small crow, with grey liquid dripping from the holes were its eyes should have been. His lower body appeared to be

lodged onto the woman's skull, no doubt giving her the bird-like features.

Gilbert couldn't move as he stared at her. Aside from the talons, she didn't appear very menacing. She was just an dead woman, with a bird using her to move and grow. Both bird and woman appeared blind, subtracting even more from her threatening appearance. Yet Gilbert remained scared. Perhaps, even more scared then when he had first heard the beast land on the barn. She was in color.

Her short hair was pale blond and her empty eyes a dull blue. The clothing she wore was faded and tattered, but he could still see the blue coloring of her overalls. She contrasted against the monochrome world, just as he and Mattie did. The woman before him had come from their world. And she had died here.

Gilbert scooted himself backwards, knowing his ankle wouldn't be much use if he stood again. The bird-woman took a step towards him, the bird head titling to the side. Gilbert continued to scoot back, finding himself pressed against a strangely thick stalk. The bird stood from the woman's head, proving it to be an average looking crow with the exception of it's strange, lanky legs that had been pushed into the woman's brain. He jumped down from the woman, allowing her body to fall motionless to the ground.

Gilbert held a hand up to defend himself. There was no way the awesome Gilbert would die to a dumb bird! He swatted at the animal, receiving a peck to his hand. It stung for a moment, just as he would have expected from a normal peck. Then it became numb, the sensation running up his arm and to his shoulder. His arm fell to his side, useless. He kicked at the creature, receiving the same peck to his shin, followed by a similar sensation that went up to his knee. He watched as the creature jumped onto him, moving to the top of his head an sitting.

Matthew leaned Lovino against the door and searched desperately for a weapon. Finding only grass a hay around the outside walls, he moved back inside. He looked for a pipe or a plank of wood, but was greeted by only more hay. Matthew moved to the stalls, attempting to break down one for wood. He kicked it once, twice, and found it to be strangely and very sturdy. He looked around again, fearing he would find nothing before it was too late. Then he saw Lovino's candle, sitting near the middle of the barn, still lit from the night before. Matthew quickly grabbed it, rushing out of the barn and towards the corn stalks.

His breathing was heavy by the time he arrived, but he took no moment to rest as he searched for his friend amount the crops. It had come down around here, hadn't it? He was sure of it.

"Gilbert!" Matthew shouted, stopping and moment and waiting for a response. When none came, he began fearing the worst and searching all the more franticly. The crops around him where sparse and short, completely different than the day before and what the view from the barn suggested. It was no wonder that Gilbert had been caught.

Matthew looked down to the candle in his hand and had a sudden idea. It was dangerous and reckless, but it was the only hope he had at the moment. He moved to one of the stalks, placing the candle's bright flame against the plant. It caught immediately, spreading faster than Matthew had thought. He watched it spread from crop to crop, surrounding him in heat and worked his way around the flame, continuing to search for his fallen friend. Hopefully the fire would only serve as a distraction, and not burn him to death.

"Gilbert!" He shouted again. A small groan came from his left, through the burning corn. Matthew rushed through it, doing his best to avoid catching or being burned. He found his companion on the ground, beside a woman. An eyeless bird stood on his head, seeming to look around at the flames.

"Birdie," Gilbert smiled when he caught sight of him. His voice was weak. He reached an arm towards him, only to have it fall the second the bird pecked it. "Don't let this bastard touch you." He warned, looking down to the unmoving hand. Matthew nodded, pulling part of a crop from the ground and lighting it on a near flame. He swished it towards the bird, causing it to flee backwards towards the woman.

"Stay there." Matthew huffed, using his shoulder to support Gilbert as he stood him up. The flame encircled them, leaving them only a small area to stand in. Matthew pulled Gilbert close to his side, looking for a break that could lead them to safety. A loud screech from the bird caught his attention.

It shoved its way into the woman's head, it's tail feather's singed. The woman's clothes lit, burning quickly around her. The bird screeched again as the fire reached the woman's hair. Matthew and Gilbert watched as the creature burned in its host.

"Katyusha." Their eyes widened as they heard the woman suddenly speak. Her eyes came back to life, immediately filling with pain. She smiled, turning her head to the men. "Know the name of who you've killed." Her body began disintegrating from the legs upwards, leaving charred feathers instead of ashes. She let out a laugh as her body fell apart, the sound still echoing as her face peeled away. In her place was a silver flute

"Grab it and let's go." Gilbert stated, seeming unfazed by the woman's words.

"Why?"

"Just do it." Having no argument against it, Matthew leaned dow and took the cold metal instrument into his hands. It felt amazing compared to the heat that surrounded him. He turned to the burning crops, working his way through them as fast as he could with Gilbert leaning on him. The flute grew colder as they walked, becoming like ice whenever they hit a flame. When they finally emerged from the burning field, neither had a mark.

* * *

><p>AN: This took way too long to come out. It's here now though, so enjoy!


End file.
